Bruschetta

Posted by CorisCookin at recipegoldmine.com 6/18/01 10:54:23 am

Here is my own version of that Italian favorite Bruschetta:

3 cups peeled seeded and chopped tomatoes
    (any variety but Romas work well)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves sliced very thinly (see notes at bottom)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and very finely chopped or to taste!
1 whole clove fresh garlic (reserve for bread)
2 tablespoon fresh oregano minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Pinch kosher salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I usually just give it a liberal "glug")
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 baguette (any French bread would work, but the skinny crusty
    baguette works the best)

Combine tomatoes, chopped garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar in a glass or plastic bowl. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

For basil, a chiffonade works best for this recipe. To do this, stack fresh basil leaves one on top of the other until you get several leaves. Then roll up the leaves. Slice very thin slices off of the little roll of leaves. You will get a very thin shredded look to the basil without bruising the leaves.

Slice baguette on the diagonal in thin slices. Rub slices of bread with remaining cut garlic clove. Lightly brush slices with olive oil and grill bread on your outdoor grill until toasted, and have grill marks. Serve bread topped with tomato mixture and a nice chilled bottle of Italian white wine or Chianti!

Great on a summer afternoon.